Glass heating and working



Dec;\\\22, 1942. E. MQGUYER GLASS HEATING AND WORKING '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 vFiled Feb. 19, 1958 A l INVENTOR. [pfff/v JX ayE/Q ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 22, 1942. E. M. GUYER GLASS HEATING AND WORKING Filed Feb. 19, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 e 13 I 37 38 40 18 Q v 4/ M. um lll! 4Z D 1 ea a@ 50 55:?? s 43 Sl/F ",'Il'l O 0 I l 39 :5 2A 4e NVENTOR. fDw//Y /7 (rami/e BY 'IM/,M

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 22, 1942. E. M. GUYER GLASS HEATING AND'WORKING Fled'Feb. 19. 19:58 3 sheets-sheet s l-HGM FREO.. HIGH VOLTAGE LON FREQ- LOW VOLTAGE PONE R SOURCE POWER SOURCE AHIGH-l -OR LON FREQUENCY Low FREQUENCY mwen; souRcE POWER SOURCE.

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CHoKE BY @W71 ATTORNEYS.

Low voLTA 1E LOW FREGL POWER SOURCE AIR uwmaal pREssurzE #IGH FREQUENCY INVENTOR. EDN/lv IV. @fn/52 Patented Dec. 225. 1942? tiNl'l'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE aaoaosi I Guss r11-:Amo um wonxnm Edwin M. Guyer, Corning, N. Y., assigner to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application February 19, 1938, Serial No. 191,531

22 Claims. (Cl. 49-1) This invention relates to the working of hard Fig. l is a side elevation ot a device for sealglass bodies and more particularly to means and ing tubular glass. parte together:

methods by which glass bodies may be heated in highly localized regions both for sealing to other glass bodies and for separation into a plurality of individual glass bodies.

Since glass is a thermoplastic material its entire history has involved means and methods by which it can be heated and rendered suitable for working. For the most part heat has been genlo the Work and toeach other; erated and applied by burning some combustible Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation showing a sas substance and bringing the products of combusfired zone heaterand gas electrodes substituted tion into contact with the glass. Various atfor the equivalent elements of Figs. 14; tempts have been made to heat glass by the use Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a suitable of electrically heated metallic containers and i5 power supply circuit for use with the heater and various radiating elements. It is well known thatv electrodes of Figs. l-4: glass is a pyro-electrolyte whose resistance de- Fig. 7 is a Circuit diagramvhowing a two frecreases with an increase in temperature and quency power supply circuit; attempts have been made to utilize this charac- Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of a power supply teristic for heating purposes by passing a current 2o including means for controlling the path of the thru heated glass in melting tanks, feeders and spark discharge: the like. However, due to this very characteris- Fis. 9 SHOWS a. modified application 0f the Cirtic it is practically impossible to heat glass uni- Cuit 0f Fig- 83 mid formly since current tends to concentrate in Fig. l0 ls a self oscillating high frequency, those parts which are hottest thus lgenerating 2f hish voltage circuit for use with a device Ot the more heat at such points and accentuatlng the preit ixliventon. kn th km th condition. as ong een own to ose s ed in e The present invention is directed to the appliart that glass can be heated by passing a current cation of electric conduction heating of glass n therethrll Once it has been heated to `a sufllto such glass working operations as the sealing d0 clint ttemperalture.hActually valdfctornbxetogether of glass parts and the cracking oli? of s e empera ure ave a pa e erm g one gass part from another, and has for its obwhether or not glass will Conduct electricityject the uniform and regulated application of These are the voltage and frequency of the lmelectrical heat to predetermined limited areas of prssed potteiiiilLbthe Wve Sla, if au agierlass bodies, A 35 na lng po en a e use an e compos on g More particularly it is the object of this inand geometry of the piece of class. This convention to conduct regulated currents of elecduction is entirely apart from 'the diSIUDiliQn 0f tricity thru predetermined paths in a glass arglass at high voltages by puncture. As the freticle or in close proximity thereto in such manquency of a given impressed voltage goes up it ner and to such an extent that temperatures 40 becomes increasingly easy to pass a current of w111 be developed in the glass along these paths electricity through the glass. Advantage may which Wm soften the glass so that it may be be taken oi this phenomena by lowering the 1msealed to another article or otherwise worked as pressed Voltage 'fr Warming on glass at a' lower desired, or will heat the glass so rapidly as to 43 mpratiurt' 'cormgly its possutle toifstrlie cause dilerential internal strains along these ntr ighgfrunggnn dnle 15eme im: paths Whlch Wm cause fracture of the glass ployed, but sources of such potentials are diillcult thereon' and costly to provide and it is usually preferable A flllthel Object (if this Invention i8 a Suitable to locally heat the glass through which is de electrical source from which may be drawn cur- 5() aired to pass 8, current to lower the frequency rents of sucient voltage and amperage to heat the desired article to the desired temperature.

The means by which the above objects may be obtained are hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the drawings in which:

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the machine of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the chucks, zone heater and sealing electrodes of the machine of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a detailed plan view showing the relatlonship of the zone heater and electrodes to and voltage relationship at which it will become conducting.

'Ihe fact, that glass must rst be heated by some auxiliary means before it will become conducting at most available voltages and fresiderable are averaged and the article or heated stripe which may either be path of current flow it is 2 quencies. has materially limited the application of heating by electrical conduction in the glass working art. Such few applications as have been made have `been conned primarily to furnaces but there the tendency oi' current to channel along the already hottest paths has proved a maior obstacle. In the present invention this tendency of the current to now along the hottest paths has been utilized to create hot zones in glass oi very restricted area. In order to render the glass conducting, it is first heated by passing a spark discharge between two electrodes along the surface of the desired to form the hot stripe. This heating may be supplemented by a more general sono heater v such as a radiating resistance element or a gas flame. While such a spark between two electrodes should follow a straight path it is subject to the slightest movement of the surrounding air. whether caused by its own heat or extraneous drafts and generally wavers over a band of conwidth. For the previously noted channeling effect of electric currents in glass, if it is desired to uniformly heat the edges of two glass articles to seal them together or to cut oif a tube or tumbler with a straight true line, it is necessary to space the electrodes fairly close together and so manipulate the glass parts as to pass the line which it is desired to heat along the line of the electrodes. In this way the minor fluctuations of the spark articles will be heated along a straight line. As the glass along this line is raised in temperature its resistance is lowereduntll it becomes less than the air gap this reason, and because ofglass in the region where .it is y across its surface at which time it commences to carry current. From this point on, heat is developed in the glass very rapidly since asv the temperature goes up the current heat is developed as a function ci the square of the current. It the articles being heated are l:moved with sumcient rapidity past the electrodes a hot band of substantially uniform temperature is developed about the entire circumference. Uniformity oi heating may be further promoted by placing other electrodes along the grounded or connected to additional power sources. In this way currents may be made to now simultane-` ously thru all or a considerable part of the hasta ed stripe.

The process of heating glass has many vantages over any hitherto known in the art. It is far more rapid than any iorm oi convection, radiation or conduction heating in which heat is developed in some external source and transmitted to the glass. Rates of temperature rise as high as 1000" C. per second are easily possible. Yet this heat is transferred to the glass without use oi any extraneous object which would tend to mar the suriaeefm displace the molten glass or stick thereto. Furthermore, altho the smrlrs impinge on the glass they have substantially no mass and have no tendency to splatter or blow away the gl, auch as is in-I herent in needle iiame gas burners even when applied to a most restricted area. Due to the simultaneous generation of heat all along the possible .to obtain uniform temperature conditions thruout the entire heated stripe and so eliminate hot spots and boiling.

.it further advantage of this type of heating is that the maximum temperature to which the glass is raised may be easily and mcurately con .negligible in comparison with reactance of the gap between the glass and the electrodes so that the maximum current which can be delivered from a given power source is directly determined by the spacing of the electrodes.

While satisfactory results may be obtained in the maiority of instances by using a simple spark discharge from solid electrodes to the glass as the means of passing current into and out oi' the glass it has been found that the finest and most accurate control of the location of theheated area can best be obtained by using needle flames as gaseous conductors over` which the electric discharge passes to an exact spot on the surface of the article. Buch flame electrodes are particularly useful where electrical heating is utilized in cracking oi! or burning oi! the moil from bulbs, tumblers or the like, or the cutting of tubing and cylinders. In such an application relatively low velocity needle flame burners are positioned on insulated supports so that the flame points are Just in contact with the glass surface. When a suiliciently high electrical potential is established between these burners to break down the air gap between them the discharge follows the hot gas to and from the glass surface using it as a flexible gaseous conductor or electrode.` Not only are such gas electrodes useful in accurately locating the discharge to the glass but they also aid in heating and establishing the conducting path on the surface oi the glass. Such displacement of the molten glass as takes place in burn oil.' operations is unimportant and if it isdesired to use such electrodes in sealing operations small, low velocity burners may be used since .their heating capacity is of relatively small importance.

The particular glass working machine disclosed in Fig. i. is designed to seal a blown glass lamp envelope ii to e. pressed glass base i2. These glass parte are heid respectively by chucks it and it which are rotated at identical speeds by gear trains ib and it from shaft il. This shaft in turn is driven. by a variable speed electric motor it thru a clutch it, worm gear 2t and pinion 2i. The entire assembly is mounted on a frame 2i which is supported by a column it and base 2t. A ioot pedal 25 mounted on the base iii operates clutch it thru a rod 2t and bell crank lever 2l' connecting and disconnecting the motor i@ and the chuck driving mechanism.

The bulb holding chuck i8 and its gear train le are assembled in a housing 29 which is supported from a slide 29 on frame 22 for relative movement with respect to chuck it; Gear IB is positively driven, despite this movement, by splines IB on shaft il. The housing 28 is controlled by a rod @i and foot pedal 32 which are normally maintained in an elevated position by spring 33. The lower limit of movement of the tallic rods 31, screw threaded into terminals 33 which are pivotally mounted on the ends of an insulating support 39. Insulating handles 40 are provided for manipulation of the individual electrodes. The assembly as a whole is adjustable about a horizontal pin 4| extending from x' ture 42 which is pivoted in the end of an insulating arm 43. This arm is mounted on pin 443 which is held in vertical adjustment in boss 45 by set screw 46. The space heater shown in conjunction with these electrodes consists of a resistance band 41 mounted on a block of insulation 48 and is provided with suitable terminals 49 for connection with an electrical power supply. The mutually adjustable rods 50 and El and bracket 52 permit proper spacing of the heater with respect to various types of work.

In Fig. is shown, more or less diagrammatically, the substitution of gas burners for the electrodes and space heater of Figs. 1-4. In this arrangement of a typical gas burner 53 equipped with a fish tail tip 54 applies a relatively low temperature flame to the bulb il and base i2 for a considerable distance b-ack from their contacting edges. In place of the metallic electrodes there are provided a pair of needle flame burn-- ers 55 which are preferably provided with gases having a high rate of ilame propagation such as oxygen and hydrogen. These burners are mounted on the insulating support 39 in much the same manner as electrodes 31 and are provided with suitable terminals 58 and lead wires `51 so that an electrical potential may be established therebetween. Similar connections may be made with burner 53 if desired.

In the operation of the above described device as a sealing machine, glass parts of the desired configuration are placed in axial alignment in the chucks I3 and i4 and rotated simultaneously while the housing 23 is lowered by depressing pedal 32 until their edges are close together. In this position the edge portions are subjected to the` gentle heating action di the radiant space heater 41 or the wide flame from burner 53. This heat is insumcient to soften the glass but forms a gradual temperature gradient in the glass which prevents its fracture when the sealing heat is applied along the adiacent edges. After suitable preliminary heating from this source intense heat is generated locally in the edge of at least one of the glass parts by passing an electric current therethru. As the glass melts the edges are brought into contact and sealed together, the heating current being maintained during the sealing operation. The amplitude of this heating current is controlled by `the position of the electrodes and by the characteristics of the circuits by which this current is supplied. l

A simple power supply circuit for the electrodes 31 and 41 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6. In this arrangement the space heater 41 is shunted directly across the low tension winding of a transformer 58 connected to a conventional power source such as a 440 volt, 60 cycle line- Spark electrodes 31 are connected directly to a high voltage power source of either high or low frequency which as shown may be the high tension winding of an air core transformer 59 whose secondary is connected to a source of high frequency power such as a standing wave oscillator having a frequency of the order of 1 megacycle. In order to produce a heating effect thruout the circumference of the bulb il one side of the space heater circuit is grounded, as is the mid point of the high tension winding. In this way a potential difference is created between each of the electrodes 31 and space heater 41 which causes a ilow of current between the electrodes once the temperature of the glass is raised sumciently. 'I'his same circuit may be readily adapted to the gas burners of Fig. 5. Under such circumstances burners E! may be connected to transformer 59 whose midpoint tap will then be connected to burner 53.

In Fig. '1 is illustrated an alternative circuit which has been found desirable as a source of power for the heating electrodes. In this circuit a high voltage, high frequency potential of the order of magnitude ol.' 10 k. v. and 1 megacycle is impressed on the electrodes thru condensers Ci, C: which are of approximately 200i! m. m. f. capacity. The setting of electrodes 31 is such that when this high voltage, high ire--I quency potential is impressed thereon the air gap between them is broken down and a spark forms along the edges of the rotating glass parts. In a very few seconds this spark heats the rims of one or both of the glass parts to a temperature at which Iit is conducting and the spark breaks directly to the surface of the glass in alignment with the electrode. While high frequency potentials are extremely useful in forming the spark between the electrodes and to glass such potentials are difficult to create with equipment having high power capacity. Thus while it is relatively easy to establish a potential which will break into the warm glass, it is extremely expensive to obtain such a potential source of suicient power to heat any sizeable body of glass to the melting point. For this reason a second potential of lower frequency and voltagey and generated by a sumciently powerful source may be impressed on the same electrodes 31 to supply the bulk of the current necessary to heat the entire volume of glass to melting temperature. In Fig. 7, this power source may be of the order of 1000 volts and cycles in which case it may be connected to the electrodes thru inductances L1, and La which act as high frequency choke coils preventing flow of current from the high voltage high frequency source'into the low frequency system. Should any such high frequency current pass thru the choke coils a bridging condenser Ca is provided thru which it may discharge. In the particular circuit disclosed the inductances may be of a value of 8 millihenrys while condenser C: should be in the neighborhood of .1 microfarad.

While the simple application of suiiicient voltage to electrodes 81 will produce a spark between them, the passage of this spark across the glass heats not only the glass but the surrounding air'as well and tends to cause the spark to blow out away from the glass, thus materially lessening its effectiveness and increasing the period of time before it strikes into the glass and conduction heating begins. To overcome this tendency it has been found desirable to impress a higher voltage on an electrode positioned midway between the spark electrodes and on the opposite side of the glass. Where the configu-ation of the glass parts beieng worked on permits, it is desirable to position the high voltage pilot electrode immediately opposite the arc and separated therefrom merely by the glass being heated. Such an arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. In this circuit the high tension secondary of the transformer 6U is connected to spark electrodes 6i while its primary on the opposite side of the article as shown in Fig. 9. While the electrostatic effect on the arc is materially reduced in this position it is nevertheless beneficial and as the glass becomes conducting current ilows to this electrodejgiving positive resistance heating 'of the glass thruout the circumference of the article. This same heating effect is produced in the device shown in Fig. 4 by grounding one side of the band heater circuit and a pointin the supply circuit to electrodes 31 as shown in Fig. 6. As the glass becomes conducting it will be found that the air gap to band heater 41 breaks down and current flows from one or both of the electrodes 3l to the resistancel'l as well as between the electrodes 3l. Inr lieu of the electrostatic field established as described above, the discharge may be forced against the glass by a properly synchronized magnetic field.

Various circuits have been described above in which high frequency potentials have been utilized in heating glass articles alone or in combination with lower frequency potentials. While numerous devices are available to supply high frequency potentials all of these are notoriously inefficient, heat losses often accounting for as much as 50% or more of the input power. In spark oscillators the maior part of this energy loss occurs in the spark itself. In order to raise the operating emciency of the present glass working device a supply circuit has been devised in which the spark from the electrodes to the glass is used to energize the circuit which supplies the major portion of the heating current. This circuit is shown in detail in Fig. l0. In this circuit power is drawn from a typical commercial source such as 60 cycle currentat 440 volts. As shown, the line voltage is stepped up to a much higher value, conveniently 20,000 volts, in a transformer 84 of relatively low capacity, that is from 5-20 k. v. a. When the secondary of the transformer is connected to the glass working electrodes 05 spaced from V3" to 1'.' apart, a spark will be drawn between the electrodes along the surface of the glass body 66. Such a spark will heat the glass surface sufficiently to render it conducting at 20,000 volts but since the capacity of the transformer is limited the current which will flow is cient to raise the glass to melting temperature.

- For this reason inductance L is inserted in the circuit and connected in series with the electrodes by capacity C. So arranged the inductance, capacity and electrodes form a. resonant circuit thru. the spark. To prevent this spark from constituting a permanent short circuit conductor across capacity C an air blast is directed against at least one of the electrodes from a suitable source Gl. This blast of air functions to interrupt the spari: discharge and permit charging of the capacity C by the transformer voltage. As the spark reforms an oscillatory dia charge occurs across the electrodes thru the L and C circuit. By making L of a ciently low value this oscillatory surge may have a peak current value many times that which can be drawn from the transformer. 'I'he frequency of this discharge can be varied at will by proper choice of values for L and C but may desirably be on the order of .5 to 'l0 megacycles.

Thus the oscillatory discharge not only provides high 'amperage surges having high heating ability but provides them at a frequency which will promote strike-in to the body of the glass. Radio frequency chokes may be positioned in the lines leading to the power transformer secondary to prevent destructive high frequency surges thru this equipment which may be further protected by bridging condenser B8. In place of the air blast, quenching of the spark may be conveniently effected by means of a properly positioned and synchronized electromagnetic field.

Altho the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific apparatus and circuits, it is to be understood that these are'disclosed by way of illustration and various equivalent structures may be substituted in commercial practice. For example. alternators and generators of the proper frequency and capacity may be directly connected to the various electrodes and burners in place of the transformers illustrated in the circuit diagrams. Accordingly it is to be understood that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The term hard glass as used in the appended claims refers to the viscous condition of the glass rather than to its chemica1 composition.

Iclaim:

l. I'he method of working hard glass bodies which comprises introducing a current of electricity into a glass body from an external source spaced from said body. and simultaneously establishing relative motion between said body and said source.

2. The method of working hard glass bodies which comprises introducing a current of electricity into said body from an external source y spaced from the surface of said body, passing a current of electrlcitythru said body along a predetermined path in the surface thereof, and continuously moving said body so as to bring a series of points on its surface sequentially into said path.

3. The method of heating a restricted section of a hard glass article which comprises establishing an electrical potential difference between two points adjacent to but spaced from the surface.

thereof, passing an electrical discharge along the surface of the glass between these points to raise the temperature of the adjacent glass, and passing a current of electricity thru the glass between said points along the line of the surface discharge.

4. The method of heating a restricted section of a hard glass article which comprises establishing an electrical potential difference between two points adjacent the surface thereof, locally heating the surface of the body between said points to render a restricted path in the glass conducting, passing an electric current thru the glass between said points along said path and continuously moving said article so that points on its surface advance from one point toward the other during the heating operation.

5. The method of heating a restricted section of a hard glass article which comprises rotating the article, applying needle flames of low calorific value at spaced points to the surface of the article, and establishing a potential diiierence tween said needle names sumcicnt to cause an electric current to now thru the glass between said flames and melt the same.

6. The 'method of Joining hard glass parts which comprises aligning said parts with' their edges in spaced relationship, subjecting said edges and the glass adjacent thereto to radiant heating, passing a current oi' electricity thru at least one of said edges to raise the come to sealing temperature and bringing said edges together to effect a seal.

'7. The method ot joining hard glass parts which comprises assembling said parts in aligned, spaced relationship, establishing a diminishing temperature gradient in said glass parts from the edges to the bodies thereof, passing a current oi electricity thru one of seid edges to further heat the same, bringing said edses together while the current is flowing and passing a current of electricity thru said second edge to iurther heat the same and seal said edges together.

8. The method of Joining hard glass parts which comprises aligning said parts with their edges in spaced relationship, subjecting said edges and the glass adjacent thereto to radiant heating, passing a current of electricity thru at least one of said edges to raise the came to sealing temperature and bringing said edges together to effect a seal, said rat heating being maintained thruout the subsequent heating operations.

9. The method oi heating a restricted area of a hollow glass body which comprises locally heating said .arcate render it conducting, establishing a plurality oi' electrical potentials at spaced points along the surface of said body and simultaneously passing a plurality oi' electrical currents thru contiguous sections ci said under the iniluence of said potentials. I

10. In s. device for working hard glass bodies, rotatable means for aligning and holding a pair of glass bodies, means for heating the adjacent edges oi said bodies and contiguous portions thereof, means for applying a localized source of heat to one of said edges, and means for moving said glass bodies axially with respect toeach other, said localized source of heat comprising at least two electrodes so pomtioned that their tips are slightly spaced from said body edge and means for eilecting an electrical discharge between said electrodes.

11. In a device for working hard glass bodies, means for positioning a pair ot glass bodies in alignment, with theirl edges adjacent to one another, means for simultaneously rotating said bodies, a space heater located adjacent the edges of said bodies and means for establishing a potential diilerence between spaced pointson one of said edges.

12. In a device for working hard glass, means for holding a glass body. a pair oi electrodes terminating adjacent the surface of said body, means for creating a spark discharge between said electrodes across a portion of said body, a space heater adjacent another portion of said body, and means for maintaining said space heater at a 9,808,054 het,

different potential from either or said electrodes.

13. The method of working hard glass bodies by heating to softness a restricted stripe thereon which comprises introducing a current of electricity into a glass body at one point in the path of the desired stripe, withdrawing it thereirom at another point in said stripe, and simultaneously establishing relative motion between said body and said points so as to bring the entire length o! said stripe sequentially and repeatedly between said points.

14. The method of working hard glass bodies by heating .to softness a restricted stripe thereon `which comprises introducing a current of electricity into a glass body of revolution at one point, withdrawing it therefrom at another point on the periphery of the body, and simultaneously rotating said body about its axis of revolution to cause successive DOrtions of its periphery to occupy the space between said points.

15. The method ci' working hard glass bodies which comprises rotating a glass body, applying spaced gas names to the surface ot the body while it is rotating to heat a stripe thereon and simultaneously establishing a potential difference between sald flames suillcient to eil'ect an electrical dhurge through said glass body along said s pe.

16. The method oi' working glass bodies which comprises successively sweeping a restricted path on the surface of aglass body with a plurality of controlled gas names and simultaneously efecting an electrical discharge in said glass body along the path. between spaced points on said restricted path.

i7. The method of warming glass which comprises impinglng a plurality of gas flames against a glass body, moving said body with respect to said flames to heat a restricted area thereof and passing a current of electricity along said flames and through said restricted area while maintaining said ilames in contact with said body.

18. The method of working a hard glass body which comprises rotating said body and simultaneously subjecting a limited p'ath along its surface to a source of radiant heat to heat said path and render it conducting and thereafter passing a lcurrent of electricity through said glass along said path while continuing the rotation of said article.

19. In a device for working hard glass bodies, means tor supporting a body to be worked, means for heating a portion of said body to render it conducting, a plurality of spaced electrodes adjacent to but spaced from the heated portion of said body, means for establishing potential differences between said electrodes, and means for continuously moving said body to bring selected portions of its surfaces periodically between said electrodes.

20. In a device for working hard glass bodies, means for supporting a body to be Worked, a space heater positioned adjacent said body, means for establishing relative movement between said space heater and said body. and secondary heatlng means positioned adjacent said body and said space heater and adapted to apply additional heat to a restricted portion of the surface of the glass body in alignment with said space heater, said secondary heating means comprising a plurality oi' electrodes having their tips close to but spaced from said body, and means for establishing a potential diilerence between adjacent electrodes suiilcient to cause an electric current to ilow thru the glass between said electrodes.

21. The method of working hard glass bodies by heating to softness a restricted stripe thereon which comprises introducing a. current of electricity into a glass body at one point in the path of the desired stripe, withdrawing it therefrom at another point in said stripe and progressively and sequentially changing the location of 4the points along said stripe at which the current is introduced and withdrawn so as to cause said current to ilow sequentially through all portions of said stripe until the entire stripe has been heated to the, desired temperature.

yft2. The method of working hard glass [bodies by heating to softness a restricted stripe there,- on which comprises introducing a current o! electricity into a glass body at one point in the path ot the desired stripe. withdrawing it therefrom et another point in said stripe, progressively and sequentially chansins the location of '10 l the points along said stripe at which the current is introduced and withdrawn so as to cause said current to flow sequentially through all portions of said stripe and continuing to change .the location of thevpoints along said stripe et which the current is introduced. and withdrawn in such manner as to bring the same portion of the stripe repeatedly between said points until the entire stripe has -been heated to the desired temperazure.

nnwm M. GUYER. 

